So you want to be Mason?

Membership is limited to adult males without regard to race, color or creed who are of good character and reputation.

A man becomes a freemason of his own volition. No one is solicited to membership. A man seeks admission of his own free will. He makes the choice! One of the Ancient Landmarks of Freemasonry is that Masons cannot solicit members. One seeking admission must have a desire and ask for an application form from one who he believes to be a Mason.

The applicant for admission to Freemasonry in Florida must be over 21 years of age, mentally and physically competent and of good moral character. He must be recommended by two members of the Masonic Lodge to which he is seeking admission and obtain its unanimous favorable ballot for acceptance.

Freemasonry is not an insurance or beneficial society. It is not organized for profit. However, the charitable services rendered by Freemasons are beyond measure.

Freemasonry teaches the Golden Rule and self improvement. Through the exemplification of the principles and precepts of the Craft it seeks to make good men, better men.

The teachings of Freemasonry are based on ethical principles that are acceptable to all good men. Freemasonry teaches understanding and charity for all mankind. It is known throughout the world, even behind the Iron curtain where Masonry cannot exist.

Freemasonry proudly proclaims that it consists of men who are obligated to extend Brotherly Love and Affection to all Men everywhere.

It dictates to no man as to his beliefs, either religious or secular. It seeks no advantage for it members through business or politics. As a matter of fact, neither business nor politics may be discussed in the lodge room.

Freemasonry is Kindness in the home, Honesty in business, Courtesy in society, Fairness in work, pity and concern for the unfortunate, resistance toward evil, help for the weak, forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another and, above all, reverence and love for God.

The fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons is the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world. Volumes have been written about it. Yet, to many, Freemasonry remains a mystery.

Freemasonry traces its ancestry to the operative craftsmen, primarily cathedral builders, of the Middle Ages. The men, because of their special knowledge and skills, were permitted special travel privileges from country to country. They developed means of recognition and identification of their work.

In the 17th and 18th Centuries, as cathedral building came to a end, some of the operative Masonic Lodges accepted into membership men who were not operative craftsmen. Gradually the lodges came to be composed entirely of philosophical or speculative Masons. From these groups Freemasonry of today had it's beginnings.

In 1717 four lodges of Freemasons meeting in London, England formed the first Grand Lodge in the world. This Grand Lodge chartered Masonic Lodges and Provincial Grand Lodges in many countries, including the United States.

Today, there are more than 150 Grand Lodges in free countries of the world with a membership of approximately 3,500,000.

A Grand Lodge is the administrative authority in its territory known as a Jurisdiction. The Grand Lodge of Florida is the Supreme Masonic Power and Authority in this Jurisdiction. In the United States there are 51 Grand Lodges, They include the 50 states and the District of Columbia. There are approximately 2,600,000. Freemasons in the 50 Jurisdictions of the United States.

The basic unit of all Grand Lodges is the Masonic Lodge, often known as the Symbolic Lodge, Blue Lodge or Craft Lodge. It is the Masonic Lodge that receives and acts upon petitions for the three degrees known as the Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master Mason Degrees.

There are more than 300 such lodges in the Grand Jurisdiction of Florida with a total membership of approximately 68,000.

Contrary to what many believe, Freemasonry is not a secret society. It does not hide its existence nor its membership.

There has been no attempt to conceal the purposes, aims and principles of Freemasonry. More than 25,000 books have been written about Freemasonry. You can just visit your Public Library. It is an organization which has as its principal teachings Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.

It's constitutions are published for the world to behold. Its rules and regulations are open for inspection.

It is true that we have modes of recognition and ceremonies with which the world is not acquainted. In this regard all family groups and institutions have private affairs.